PATIALA: With the start of Paddy season on Wednesday, the power demand in the state has touched 11787 MW an increase of 2000 MW from the previous day.
Last year the rise in power demand on day one of paddy season was 1200 MW. PSPCL started three thermal units at Lehra Mohabatt and two units at Ropar thermal plant to meet the unexpected rise in demand.
In the private sector both units of Rajpura thermal, two out of three units at Talwandi Sabo. and one unit of GVK is generating power.
On Wednesday the maximum power demand in the state was 9756 MW and PSPCL supplied 2195 lakh units. The thermal generation was 705 lakh units and Rajpura thermal supplied 314 Lakh units, Talwandi Sabo supplied 287 lakh units and GVK supplied 90 lakh units.
The water level in Bhakra reservoir is less than 55 feet from the corresponding day level last year. The generation from Bhakra powerhouses is 140 lakh units. Punjab gets 40% power from Bhakra powerhouses.
Meanwhile, PSEB Engineers Association in a letter to CMD has alleged that there is clearly a shortage of material required for paddy season and that is why the spot purchase which is an emergency process is being used for normal purchases. It seems that management has failed to procure material through time-tested centralized procurement procedure.